Battery with chlorophyll electrode

ABSTRACT

An exemplary battery is provided in the present invention. The battery comprises a carbon rod, a positive-electrode structure, a separation structure, a negative-electrode structure and a housing. The positive-electrode structure, the separation structure, the negative-electrode structure and the housing encircle the carbon rod in sequence. At least one of the positive-electrode structure and the negative-electrode structure contains chlorophyll. The battery of the present invention stores hydrogen by the chlorophyll to generate electricity. Thus, not only is the manufacturing process of the battery simple, and economical, but also natural, non-toxic substances are employed, unlike the conventional batteries, the battery of the present invention will not cause environmental pollution even when discarding after being used.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Chinese Patent Application No.201010585553.X, filed on Dec. 13, 2010, entitled “Battery” by ChungpinLiao, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a battery, and more particularly to abattery using chlorophyll to generate electricity and a manufacturingmethod thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In recent years, portable electronic devices, such as mobile phones,portable cameras, notebook computers, digital cameras, personal digitalassistants (PDAs), CD players, are becoming popular owing to theirlightweight and small size. Batteries used as a portable power sourcehave also become the focus of the public concern, and have been anessential element of the various portable electronic devices.

However, although the common batteries, such as carbon-zinc batteries,alkaline batteries and secondary batteries, are allegedlyenvironment-benign, they in fact largely contain substantial amounts ofmercury and other heavy metals, such as cobalt. Other than that,environmental pollutants are frequently used or released during thebattery manufacturing process.

Lithium batteries, though widely adopted as the largest energy contentamong the portable batteries, are unstable in the electrochemicalreactions. In the worst case, explosions occur due to thermal runaway asthe result of operating at low load or under improper assemblage.Therefore, multiple and complex protection mechanisms should beimplemented for their usage, such as the installation of a protectioncircuit, an exhaust vent, and isolation membranes, etc.

The price of the lithium batteries rises rapidly as a result of thedepletion of lithium mineral, which is the main raw material of thepositive electrode (such as Li_(1-x)CoO₂) and the negative electrode(such as Li_(x)C) of lithium batteries. Furthermore, the performance andoperating life of the lithium batteries decrease rapidly within a hightemperature environment.

Therefore, an unaddressed need for a battery using chlorophyll togenerate electricity exists in the art to address the aforementioneddeficiencies and inadequacies.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a battery using chlorophyll to generateelectricity that can avoid problems encountered with conventionalbatteries. The advantages of the present invention will be understoodmore readily after a consideration of the drawings and the detaileddescription of the preferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from thedetailed description given herein below for illustration only, and thusare not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a battery according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a negative-electrode structure as shown inFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a separation structure as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a positive-electrode structure as shown inFIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a manufacturing method of a battery accordingto an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe an exemplaryembodiment in detail.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a battery according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, a battery 100includes: (1) a carbon rod 110, (2) a positive-electrode structure 120,(3) a separation structure 130, (4) a negative-electrode structure 140,and (5) a housing 150. The positive-electrode structure 120, theseparation structure 130, the negative-electrode structure 140 and thehousing 150 encircle the carbon rod 110 in sequence.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the negative-electrode structure 140 asshown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, the negative-electrode structure 140 of theexemplary embodiment has a conductive layer 141 and a negative-electrodelayer 142, and the negative-electrode layer 142 is formed on theconductive layer 141.

The conductive layer 141 is made of conductive material. The conductivematerial includes metal, metallic compound, or conductive polymericmaterial. The metal is selected from the group consisting of aluminumand gold. The metallic compound is selected from the group consisting ofmanganese protoxide, zinc oxide and magnesium oxide. Heterocycle oraromatic heterocyclic compound can be used as the conductive polymericmaterial. Preferably, the conductive polymeric material is selected fromthe group consisting of polyacetylene, poly (arylene vinylene),polythiophene, polyaniline, polypyrrole and the derivatives thereof. Inaddition, the area of the conductive layer 141 can be 5 cm×5 cm.

The negative-electrode layer 142 is made of negative-electrode materialmainly comprising chlorophyll. Specifically, the negative-electrodelayer 142 can be made by mixing the chlorophyll and high polymersolution according to a ratio of 1:1, then blending them with a magnetblender at a rate of 60 r/min (revolutions/minute) for about 1 hour, andfurther coating them on the conductive layer 141. The coating thicknessis about 0.5 mm. Finally, the above structure is placed in an oven witha temperature of 100 degree Celsius for about 6 minutes such that thenegative-electrode layer 142 is formed on the conductive layer 141.

The chlorophyll can be selected from the group consisting of chlorophylla, chlorophyll b, chlorophyll c1, chlorophyll c2, chlorophyll d, andchlorophyll e. Typically, the chlorophyll, from which the chlorophylloxidase may have been removed, can be in powder form or in liquid form.

The high polymer solution is adhesive and configured for adhering andadjusting the physical and chemical characters of the conductive layer141, such that the negative-electrode layer 142 can properly adhere tothe conductive layer 141. In addition, the electric conductivity of thehigh polymer solution is within a range of about 50 ms/cm to about 250ms/cm. The high polymer solution contains elements selected from thegroup consisting of boron, magnesium, aluminum, calcium, manganese andzinc. The high polymer solution is further configured for adjusting thework function of the conductive layer 141, so as to achieve the desiredpotential difference, such as 1.5V, between the positive-electrodestructure and the negative-electrode structure of the battery.

The high polymer solution is prepared from compound of metal ions andacid ions, high polymer and solvent in proportion, and each thereof iswith a concentration from about 0.1 mol/L to about 10 mol/L. The highpolymer comprises the high polymer of glucose. The high polymer ofglucose can be plant starch, such as potato starch, water chestnutstarch, corn starch, sweet potato starch, lotus root starch, mustardpowder, and pueraria powder, etc. The compound of metal ions and acidions can be calcium carbonate. Alternatively, the compound of metal ionsand acid ions can be natural phytochemicals, including lignans,oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, flavonoids, iridoids, fatty acids,scopoletin, catechin, beta-sitosterol, damnacanthal, and alkaloids. Thesolvent can have a polarity and with a PH value greater than 3, such aswater, seawater, tea, coffee, fruit juice or liquor, etc. The PH valueof the high polymer solution is between about 5.5 to about 8. The highpolymer solution can further include vitamin, such as vitamin D.

The negative-electrode structure 140 can be made into a membrane toincrease the amount of the chlorophyll and enlarge the contact areathereof so as to increase the reaction area of the battery, etc. Inaddition, it should be understood for a person skilled in the art that,any known method can be used to increase the amount of the chlorophylland enlarge the contact area thereof to increase the reaction area ofthe battery, etc.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the separation structure as shown inFIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 3, the separation structure 130 has a firstseparator 131 and a second separator 132. The second separator 132 isformed on the first separator 131. The first separator 131 and thesecond separator 132 are both made of high-fiber material, and thehigh-fiber material can be paper material, such as cellophane, cottonpaper, rice paper or silk paper, etc. Furthermore, the high-fibermaterial has pores, and the diametric length of each is preferably about0.01 μm to about 1 cm. Preferably, the first separator 131 and thesecond separator 132 are both membranes, and the area of each is 5 cm×5cm.

In addition, the first separator 131 can be saturated with a solution oforganic salt. The electric conductivity of the solution of organic saltcan be about 10 ms/cm to about 500 ms/cm. The second separator 132 canbe saturated with a solution of organic salt and chlorophyll. Theorganic salt can be organic salt without lithium, and selected from thegroup consisting of sodium iodide, sodium chloride and sodium hydroxide.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the positive-electrode structure as shownin FIG. 1. In FIG. 4, the positive-electrode structure 120 has aconductive polymeric film 121 and a conductive nano polymeric powderfilm 122. The conductive nano polymeric powder film 122 is formed on theconductive polymeric film 121. The conductive polymeric film 121 and theconductive nano polymeric powder film 122 are both made of conductivepolymeric material. The conductive polymeric material can be heterocycleor aromatic heterocyclic compound. Preferably, the conductive polymericmaterial is selected from the group consisting of polyacetylene, poly(arylene vinylene), polythiophene, polyaniline, polypyrrole and thederivatives thereof. In addition, the area of the conductive polymericfilm 121 is about 5 cm by about 10 cm, and has holes with the diameterof the each hole being within a range of about 3 A to about 1000 A.

The conductive nano polymeric powder film 122 has chlorophyll powder andconductive nano polymeric powder formed by spraying the chlorophyllpowder and the conductive nano polymeric powder on the conductivepolymeric film 121. The total weight of the chlorophyll powder and theconductive nano polymeric powder is about 0.1 gram.

The housing 150 can be a paper tube, and configured for containing thecarbon rod 110, the positive-electrode structure 120, the separationstructure 130 and the negative-electrode structure 140.

In one embodiment, both the negative-electrode structure 140 and thepositive-electrode structure 120 have chlorophyll. When the battery 100operates, the chlorophyll of the negative-electrode structure 140 andthe chlorophyll of the positive-electrode structure 120 generateelectrons or holes as they receive light or touch the electrolytesolution, such that a potential difference occurs between thepositive-electrode structure 120 and the negative-electrode structure140 of the battery 100 to supply a continuous current. In other words,the battery 100 of the present invention uses the chlorophyll of thenegative-electrode structure 140 and the chlorophyll of thepositive-electrode structure 120 as the energy source to supplyelectricity. Preferably, the chlorophyll of the negative-electrodestructure 140 and the chlorophyll of the positive-electrode structure120 have different work functions with each other.

Although both of the negative-electrode structure 140 and thepositive-electrode structure 120 comprise the chlorophyll in theexemplary embodiment, it should be understood for a person skilled inthe art that, the battery of the present invention can only employ thechlorophyll in the negative-electrode structure 140, or only employ thechlorophyll in the positive-electrode structure 120, to use thechlorophyll as the energy source such that the battery can provide theelectricity.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a manufacturing method for battery inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Asshown in FIG. 5, the manufacturing method thereof includes the followingsteps:

-   -   Step S1: rolling up a positive-electrode structure by a carbon        rod;    -   Step S2: rolling up a separation structure;    -   Step S3: rolling up a negative-electrode structure; and    -   Step S4: inserting the carbon rod with the positive-electrode        structure, the separation structure and the negative-electrode        structure into a paper tube such that the battery is built.

The battery of the present invention stores hydrogen by the chlorophyllof the positive-electrode structure and/or the negative-electrodestructure to generate electricity. Preferably, both thepositive-electrode structure and the negative-electrode structure havechlorophyll, but each of these structures have different work-functions.Specifically, during the oxidation-reduction chemical reaction, thechlorophyll molecule would lose a magnesium ion in its porphyrin centerto become a pheophytin molecule. Two empty bonding sites of the latterthen trap two hydrogen ions to practically store hydrogen and make therunning of current smooth. In addition, not only is the manufacturingprocess of the battery simple, and economical, but also natural,non-toxic substances are employed, unlike conventional batteries, thebattery of the present invention will not cause the environmentalpollution even when discarding after being used.

It should be noted that the terms “first”, “second”, “third” and otherterms in the present invention are only used as textual symbols as thecircumstances may require, and thus the practice is not limited to theseterms. It should be further noted that these terms can be usedinterchangeably.

While there has been shown several and alternate embodiments of thepresent invention, it is to be understood that certain changes can bemade as would be known to one skilled in the art without departing fromthe underlying scope of the present invention as is discussed and setforth above and below including claims. Furthermore, the embodimentsdescribed above and claims set forth below are only intended toillustrate the principles of the present invention and are not intendedto limit the scope of the present invention to the disclosed elements.

What is claimed is:
 1. A battery, comprising: a. a carbon rod; b. apositive-electrode structure, substantially encircling the carbon rod;c. a separation structure, substantially encircling thepositive-electrode structure, wherein the separation structure comprisesa solvent; d. a negative-electrode structure, substantially encirclingthe separation structure; and e. a housing, containing the carbon rod,the positive-electrode structure, the separation structure and thenegative-electrode structure; wherein both the positive-electrodestructure and the negative-electrode structure comprise chlorophyll. 2.The battery of claim 1, wherein the negative-electrode structurecomprises a conductive layer and a negative-electrode layer, and thenegative-electrode layer is formed on the conductive layer.
 3. Thebattery of claim 2, wherein the conductive layer is made of conductivematerial, and the conductive material is selected from the groupconsisting of metal, metallic compound and conductive polymericmaterial.
 4. The battery of claim 3, wherein the metal is selected fromthe group consisting of aluminum and gold, the metallic compound isselected from the group consisting of manganese protoxide, zinc oxideand magnesium oxide, and the conductive polymeric material isheterocycle or aromatic heterocyclic compound and selected from thegroup consisting of polyacetylene, poly (arylene vinylene),polythiophene, polyaniline, polypyrrole and their derivatives.
 5. Thebattery of claim 2, wherein the negative-electrode layer comprises thechlorophyll and a polymer solution.
 6. The battery of claim 5, whereinthe chlorophyll is selected from the group consisting of chlorophyll a,chlorophyll b, chlorophyll c1, chlorophyll c2, chlorophyll d, andchlorophyll e.
 7. The battery of claim 5, wherein the chlorophyll is inpowder form or in liquid form.
 8. The battery of claim 5, wherein achlorophyll oxidase has been removed from the chlorophyll.
 9. Thebattery of claim 5, wherein the polymer solution comprises compound ofmetal ions and acid ions, polymer and solvent, and each of the metalions and the acid ions, the polymer and the solvent has a concentrationof about 0.1 mol/L to about 10 mol/L.
 10. The battery of claim 9,wherein the polymer is polymer of glucose, selected from the groupconsisting of potato starch, water chestnut starch, corn starch, sweetpotato starch, lotus root starch, mustard powder and pueraria powder.11. The battery of claim 9, wherein the compound of metal ions and acidions is calcium carbonate or natural phytochemicals selected from thegroup consisting of lignans, oligosaccharides, polysaccharides,flavonoids, iridoids, fatty acids, scopoletin, catechin,beta-sitosterol, damnacanthal and alkaloids.
 12. The battery of claim 9,wherein the solvent comprises water, and has a polarity and a PH valuegreater than
 3. 13. The battery of claim 5, wherein a PH value of thepolymer solution is within a range of about 5.5 to about 8, and itselectric conductivity thereof is within a range of about 50 ms/cm toabout 250 ms/cm.
 14. The battery of claim 1, wherein the separationstructure comprises a first separator and a second separator, and thesecond separator is formed on the first separator.
 15. The battery ofclaim 14, wherein the first separator and the second separator are madeof fiber material, and the fiber material is paper material selectedfrom the group consisting of cellophane, cotton paper, rice paper andsilk paper.
 16. The battery of claim 15, wherein the first separator issaturated with a solution of organic salt, and the second separator issaturated with a solution of organic salt and chlorophyll, and theelectric conductivity of the solution of organic salt is within a rangeof about 10 ms/cm to about 500 ms/cm.
 17. The battery of claim 16,wherein the organic salt is organic salt without lithium, and selectedfrom the group consisting of sodium iodide, sodium chloride and sodiumhydroxide.
 18. The battery of claim 1, wherein the positive-electrodestructure comprises a conductive polymeric film and a conductive nanopolymeric powder film, and the conductive nano polymeric powder film isformed on the conductive polymeric film.
 19. The battery of claim 18,wherein the conductive nano polymeric powder film comprises chlorophyllpowder and conductive nano polymeric powder.
 20. The battery of claim 1,wherein the housing is a paper tube.